Original subtitles

Rinaldo degli Albizzi.

You have called this session

to present charges against Cosimo de' Medici.

Speak.

And so the Medici begin to fall.

- Not before time. - Gentlemen!

Signor Cosimo de' Medici

was arrested on the charge of having his servant

break into the house of the late Lupo Corona.

Since his arrest, though

evidence has emerged of a far graver charge

against a man many of us have considered a friend.

Cosimo de' Medici means to make himself our tyrant.

There's only one answer to the charge of treason.

Death to the traitor.

Cosimo de' Medici.

How do you answer Signor Rinaldo's charges?

They are baseless.

Born of an old and personal rivalry.

I am a loyal citizen of Florence.

I am innocent.

The Signoria will test the charge.

The trial begins tomorrow.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

In the calcio game, you must show honor.

No tricks, no cheating.

Some of those players are huge, father

and poor Cosimo is only trained in bookkeeping.

Boys, boys!

Listen!

Always allow them to take the lead.

Ah!

Giovanni de' Medici.

Welcome.

You do me honor to allow my boys to play on your team, signor Albizzi.

You know my son, Rinaldo?

I see the money has arrived.

We are grateful for this opportunity

to support you.

Good luck.

We're being attacked by our own team!

Rinaldo ripped the ball from Cosimo.

Welcome to nobility, eh?

I want you to befriend Rinaldo.

Why should he? Rinaldo's a snake.

You make alliances with powerful men.

Yes?

- Yes. - Go.

Go.

Give me the ball! Pass! I can score!

Give me the ball!

We need this point!

You see that brute?

- Distract him while I run! - How?

I don't know, anything! Punch him!

- Kick him in the balls! - Cheat?

I'll light a candle for your soul at mass.

Now that was cheating!

- You know what's worse than cheating? - What?

Losing.

Why would you allow him to go alone to the Signoria, Marco Bello?

You know your brother. I couldn't stop him.

You could have gone with him, though.

He told me not to.

It was a foolish mistake.

- I just wanted to hear what Piero was saying. - He didn't think about it.

What do you think we should do now?

- We mustn't do anything to - So let's hear.

jeopardize the trial.

I'm sure you did not mean to start this family meeting without us.

Contessina, why did Cosimo go to the Signoria?

He was summoned.

He thought Rinaldo would challenge him out in the open.

The treason charges is trumped up.

A fair trial will acquit father.

Do not imagine that our great republic is a democracy.

The Signoria is run on loyalties and patronage.

Those can be bought. Our coffers are filling again.

Albizzi calls our money "dirty gold".

Anyone foolish enough to take it could be next in the dock.

Now things could get dangerous faster and we must react.

With force, if necessary.

That sounds like exactly the way to make things dangerous fast!

I'm only suggesting that we prepare.

What support do we have?

There are fifty men in the Signoria.

It's evenly split, more or less.

Surely Cosimo is popular after what he did during the plague.

Rinaldo is rallying the nobles to his cause.

Offering them

positions of power in a new Signoria

which he means to control after

Cosimo is executed.

Rinaldo can't just have a man killed to order. He must follow the law.

And so we must win.

And I'll gather evidence in father's favor.

Where have you...?

- I lost this weeks ago. - I thought you might want it back.

Thank you.

- Did you deliver my message? - Yes, Messer.

She's here.

Piero is gathering evidence.

He will be in the Signoria today, they all will.

- Aren't you worried? - An innocent man fears nothing.

Albizzi is determined.

Lorenzo told me...

I trust the city of Florence to find the truth.

I do.

But now and then, the truth needs a little help to be told.

Do you remember Sandro Tarugi?

And he was loyal to my father, but I saw him in the Signoria

with Rinaldo, which means he has switched sides.

I need you to get this to him.

Between the guilds and merchants that lent land from him

he has influence over 8 to 10 votes.

- Enough to win? - It could be.

Madonna, you must go.

Trust Florence.

Trust me.

Cosimo de' Medici's treason has taken three forms.

First:

degeneracy.

He may say that the

painting and sculpture he has brought into Florence

is for the glory of God!

But I will show he has

corrupted our morals with idolatrous art.

He has filled our city with artists of low character.

Even sodomites!

Yes!

This is what he calls art: David.

Symbol of Florence.

Shown as a naked catamite.

Second!

Usury. Money-lending for profit.

We know Cosimo de' Medici is the richest man in the city.

And we know he is banker to the Pope.

But I will show he has used his connection to Rome

to cover the fact he commits the sin of usury on the side.

He has corrupted the rules of Christ!

To charge interest.

He even charged one convent 50 Florins on a loan

for a new hall to provide meals for the poor.

Third!

Tyranny.

Cosimo de' Medici has great wealth.

And with it, has bought power.

Too much power.

He presents himself as the savior of this city

building his dome atop our cathedral

treating the sick there during the plague.

This is part of the plot.

If he is not stopped, he will overthrow the Republic

of Florence and rule as a prince!

During the plague, it was you, Rinaldo degli Albizzi

who tried to take control of this city!

Hear how Lorenzo de' Medici tries to hide his brother's guilt.

I performed my civic duty in a time of crisis.

But I am not Florence's master.

I am her servant.

How is he?

Confident in justice.

I'm delivering this to Sandro Tarugi.

Sandro's wife Maria is a friend of my mother's.

I've known her since I was a child.

Then you can come with me.

A man who turned once, could be turned again.

Lorenzo said we can't bribe people.

The thing about dirty gold?

It's still gold.

The charges against my father are inflated.

But there's one thing I think we can disprove.

Rinaldo said my father charged a convent 50 Florins

for a hall to serve meals for the poor.

- Which convent did he say? - He didn't.

Do we have records?

Of course, but he lent money to convents all over Italy.

Without more clues.

If I can just prove Rinaldo is wrong on this one point

it could undermine his case.

I'm here to see Maria Tarugi.

Ah, here are the records.

Clerical accounts.

Ah, everything's here.

It's going to be a long night.

- Lucrezia. - Monna Maria!

You look so well.

- What a beautiful dress. - I had the silk sent from Venice.

Florentine merchants can never keep up with the latest style.

- Eh, you know my mother-in-law? - Madonna Contessina.

- It's been so long since we spoke. - True.

Monna Maria, we know

your husband Sandro commands influence in the Signoria.

We are trying to save the life of an innocent man.

Could you give this letter to Sandro?

Tell him we depend on his loyalty.

Of course.

- I'll do what I can. - You have our deepest gratitude.

What are you doing? Stop!

I need this!

Hands.

Where's my jailer?

- He's been replaced. - And who are you?

Federigo Malavolti.

Mastro Malavolti, my family will send you money

if you allow me paper and ink.

I'm a wealthy man!

I know what you are.

A leech growing fat on the blood of the people.

Our Lord threw the moneylenders out of the temple.

Now it is your turn to face justice.

Comfortable?

You know your charge is false.

Now you cut me off from those who might prove my innocence.

You sent a letter in a flagrant attempt to bias a member

of the Signoria in your favor, so no more letters.

Why not just kill me?

Have me stabbed in an alley.

Throw off the Campanile. You're not above that, are you?

Why this performance with the Signoria?

Because there will be others like you.

Men with a lust for power, who would turn the world upside down

so the nobles must crawl on their bellies

while the peasants and merchants rule.

Men like you have no care for tradition

or the natural order of society.

Noble power is ordained by God himself.

We exist to rule.

Your family has tried for years to take mine down.

- That must end. - Rinaldo.

Twenty years, Rinaldo.

Twenty years ago I had a part to play in what my father did

but I did not know I was being used.

I am truly sorry.

And twenty years too late.

Rinaldo!

The old order is changing.

Money's what matters now.

And the nobles don't have it. You do.

The great Albizzi have nothing to fear from us.

I'm not so sure.

You can't be serious.

We had lands, of course, made money from rent ant taxes.

But times have been hard.

Droughts, plagues.

Some estates are left empty for years.

The houses fall down, the fields overgrow.

Your father has investments.

The granaries did well for a while.

But prices are low in Florence this year.

- Well, sell your grain elsewhere. - We do.

That's worse.

We made a good deal.

Sold enough grain to Rome to cover three more months of operation.

The ship was sailing back last week.

You remember those storms?

It sank on its way up the coast.

All I've got in my own name is a vineyard.

I love the place. Built it up from nothing.

But I'll have to sell it.

Your father is a wise man.

I can't believe it will come to that.

Too much talking.

Let's drink to our next victory.

You wanted to see me, father?

I understand you made a friendship

hm, with the Albizzi boy

I misjudged him at first.

- I thought him arrogant. - And?

- What is he? - He's insecure.

What makes you say that?

He's fearful about the future.

Is it money?

The grain business?

They lost a ship.

Unfortunate.

You did well to listen to him.

Thank you, father.

Albizzi has changed the guard. Shut us out of Cosimo's cell.

- Why? - Maria Tarugi.

I gave her a letter from Cosimo for her husband.

It seems she took it to Albizzi instead.

We need troops.

Too dangerous.

We have to start

thinking about defending ourselves, not just him.

Where's Piero?

Still in the bank.

Going through the evidence.

We must try the legitimate route.

Yes, he's your son, I understand

but this is not the time for a learning exercise.

At least he's doing something!

While you lie in bed dreaming of Rosa.

Lorenzo, good morning.

I need a bill of exchange.

- How much? - 50000 Florins.

So much?

Cosimo can't make the decisions now, so I must.

Which branch shall I make the bill payable to?

I'll complete that later.

Sandro Tarugi!

What the hell is this? You can't be in here.

True.

Thankfully nor can your wife.

What do you want?

To talk.

Florence has always respected you, Sandro.

It is sad to see you ruin your reputation

by siding with the Albizzi.

Rinaldo is gathering the nobles to his cause.

My wife and I.

Can't you make a decision without Maria?

You know Medici money can do more for your family than noble favor.

I have access to Cosimo's accounts.

Maria will see the sense of it

when you show her the Montelupo vineyard.

The best vineyard in Tuscany.

Cosimo will speak in his own defense today.

You know what to do.

Stand up and show you're a man.

Madonna?

A word.

Lorenzo came into the bank this morning.

He took a bill on a large sum.

How much?

- 50000. - What?

- Where is he? - Well, that's the problem.

I don't know.

Good morning.

Why are you so loyal to Rinaldo?

Signor Rinaldo is a god-fearing man. A man of justice.

A man who would murder his enemies by bearing false witness?

A man who would pull down the house of God?

Does our Lord truly forgive all sins mastro Malavolti?

For those who sincerely repent.

Do we not all sometimes do

bad things in service of a greater good?

You have sinned. You must beg the Lord for his forgiveness.

I tried all last night, but without a priest.

No visitors.

Signor Maso degli Albizzi!

TWENTY YEARS AGO

TWENTY YEARS AGO Signor Maso degli Albizzi!

TWENTY YEARS AGO

The clerks of the Signoria have just received this letter.

What is this?

A bankrupt cannot be a member of the Signoria, signor Maso.

Is it true? Did you lose a ship carrying three months' revenue?

How dare you spread such lies?

Our duty is to Florence. Will you provide accounts to disprove it?

I need time.

Until you do, you are no longer a member of the Signoria.

Good day, Messers.

You used me!

The Albizzi have grown weak.

Maso Albizzi hopes to regain his riches through trade

but he has no head for it.

He should have insured his grain before shipping it out.

What about honor? My honor?

Stop talking about yourself.

We're talking about the future of Florence.

The Albizzi have enfeebled themselves by decades

of easy privilege and the city stagnates under their influence.

But the world is changing, and Florence must seize its place.

For the new leaders to rise the old must fall.

I'm proud of you.

It has hurt you to make this personal sacrifice

but it has spared Florence.

One day, when I'm gone

you will be head of the Medici family.

And you must lead us.

For the glory of Florence.

I think I found it. Look.

It's time. Pull yourself together.

The case for the defense: Cosimo de' Medici.

I love our great city of Florence.

Above all else

I must res...

I must defend myself against these slanderous charges

I must defend my... I...

The world must.

The world must see.

I...

Ah.

I...

Please.

Please.

Ah.

He's taken ill.

This is another Medici trick.

We can't continue if the defendant is not represented.

I will speak for my father.

I am his blood.

No, let the boy speak!

This should be entertaining.

Cosimo de' Medici will you be represented by your son?

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned

against heaven and against you

I repent, I repent against all my sins and trespasses.

Forgive me, Father

I repent.

He cannot answer.

In that case, you may speak on behalf of your father.

My father has declared his love for Florence.

You can see he's a patriot.

Not a traitor.

Rinaldo degli Albizzi

charged that my father made a profit

of 50 Florins on a loan to a convent for a hall to feed the poor.

The Medici bank does not engage in usury!

Interest is neither paid, nor taken!

No, you run it out of the kindness of your hearts.

I have the accounts

the accounts of the Convent

of San Benedetto, and this is the only convent

in our records, which took money for a dining hall.

And the accounts show, quite clearly

that the Medici bank made the convent a gift of 65 Florins.

Not 50.

And there was no interest charged.

Cosimo de' Medici made a donation.

Young man, how do we know you did not draw up this

remarkably convenient document yourself?

It has the official Medici seal.

Which you keep in the bank. You could have faked that too.

The people of Florence have had enough of banker's tricks.

Our business is legitimate!

Cosimo de' Medici must be found innocent.

Gentlemen of the Signoria!

Signor Guadagni.

Signor Tarugi.

With his defense, Piero de' Medici has convinced me.

I say Cosimo is innocent.

Hear, hear!

Sandro Tarugi speaks the truth!

Cosimo is innocent!

- Acquit Cosimo! - Cosimo is innocent!

This is rigged.

We must put it to a vote.

We can't let them vote now.

Order!

Order!

I demand order in the Signoria!

If you can't come to order, this court is adjourned!

By all saints.

You were paid to poison my wine.

You're a man of such faith, Malvolti.

I didn't think you could be bought.

And by Rinaldo.

Is this the work of a god-fearing man?

A man of justice?

I may not have long left.

Please, let me see my wife one last time.

- I was told no visitors. - Only to say goodbye.

Please.

What did they give you?

I don't know what you mean.

Don't lie to me.

- Arrest this man for corruption. - On what evidence?

I'm a member of the Signoria! Get your hands off of me!

Get off!

Our Signoria needs protection.

And they've just given me the perfect excuse.

I thought I would lose the whole case, but

then they began to stand up.

"Free Cosimo", "Cosimo is innocent".

Even Sandro Tarugi himself.

I can't believe it worked.

You did everything that was required.

I'm so sorry, monna!

- I couldn't stop her. - You bitch!

My husband is in jail tonight because of you.

Emilia, call the guards.

Albizzi had him arrested for corruption, because you bribed him.

Who did you think could believe it with that half-wit son of yours

burbling on the stand?

Albizzi stopped me from seeing my husband

because of the letter that you gave him.

You were a noble woman, Contessina, until you married that tradesman.

- Tradesman? - Yes.

Some of the nobles have continued to tolerate you only

because Cosimo is so filthy rich that their greed overcomes

their sense of proper decorum.

Well, that ends tonight.

I'll see to it that you're never received

by the society of this city again.

You bribed him!

I didn't know that you would have to speak.

You let me believe I was a success.

We didn't mean to deceive you.

You too?

Albizzi guards are in the Signoria.

- Albizzi will fix the trial. - Yes.

- Where's Lorenzo? - Still no sign.

I'm defending my father.

- I need to get into the chamber. - Not today. Albizzi orders.

Signor Guadagni.

They refuse to let us in.

Guadagni we need a verdict.

- Is this your doing? - Democracy must be protected.

Your guards won't let people vote.

The Medici have tried to rig this trial.

They have forfeited their place in the Signoria.

We cannot function under occupation.

You stay here. I'll fetch our men.

Go to Bernardo Guadagni at the Signoria.

Tell him that Lorenzo de' Medici

is here with Francesco Sforza's army!

We have 1000 cavalry!

10000 men!

Trebuchets and siege towers!

Our terms Cosimo de' Medici must be released!

You should hurry.

We invade at midnight!

Lorenzo demands that you two leave Florence immediately

and never return.

If you don't go by midnight he'll force you out.

What more proof do you need that the Medici are tyrants?

Cosimo.

The guards change fast. Don't be long.

Lorenzo has bought Francesco Sforza's army.

They've surrounded us.

Guadagni's refusing to convene the trial

but if Lorenzo invades, you'll be a hostage.

Rinaldo may not wait for a verdict to have you executed.

If Lorenzo invades, he could win.

It's our best hope.

Rinaldo or his son might escape.

Once the fighting is done find Ugo or Marco.

They will help you.

- You will help me. - No.

You are right.

If Lorenzo invades, Rinaldo will have me killed.

That is, if the guard doesn't poison me to death first.

We have to get you out of here.

The family cannot survive without you!

It can and will.

I have repented my sins, so I do not fear death.

All that matters is to win back Florence.

Don't talk like this.

There is still hope.

- We will get you out! There is time! - No Listen!

You must buy up Rinaldo's debts across Italy.

All of them.

We must bankrupt them as my father once did, only everywhere.

It may take years, generations.

It does not matter.

The Albizzi must never challenge us again.

There is no "us" if you are gone.

If the Medici are to shape history

we must live beyond our lifetimes.

The whole tree does not die because one branch falls.

Farewell.

Don't.

- Piero. - No.

Lucrezia, Lorenzo, they need you now.

As I have.

I know all you have done for me, Contessina.

Thank you.

- No. - You must go.

- You must go. - No.

- Come on. You have to leave. - Cosimo.

Cosimo! Cosimo!

Cosimo de' Medici is indisposed.

In these extraordinary circumstances

the question of his guilt must be put to the vote.

Albizzi has forced Guadagni to convene the Signoria.

Cosimo has been found guilty.

He will be executed at midnight.

He told me what I should do after his death.

It was all very logical.

He believes the family is what matters, not just him.

I can't let him die.

Thank you for letting me see her.

I heard you in the Signoria, talking to God.

You repented.

I too have sinned.

This is what I used to poison you.

This is mine.

You see? It's clean.

Drink.

Malavolti?

Yes?

I forgive you.

Cosimo has been found guilty.

They're planning to execute him tonight.

If they kill him I will burn that city to the ground.

Burn Florence?

You can't.

Tell the family to leave.

Even if you don't care how many people die

our bank is there, the gold.

You can't destroy everything!

Then Albizzi will have to negotiate.

And what if he doesn't?

Cosimo knows the risks.

The Medici must always prevail.

Everything else.

Everything can be sacrificed.

Cosimo believes this family will survive without him, but it won't.

You are not the man he is and you know that.

On second thoughts, Sforza how soon can we move?

Before sundown.

If we have to.

Then I will take Albizzi's head.

Lorenzo, Lorenzo!

As the city's new commander

I pledge to defend Florence to the death.

Gentlemen, I have just spoken with Francesco Sforza

whose army surrounds us.

And with Lorenzo de' Medici.

If you execute my husband, Lorenzo will attack us with fire.

Guadagni, you must throw her out!

- Women cannot be in here! - Order!

Order! Order!

If she has spoken to the army, I intend to listen.

Sforza wants only the release of Cosimo de' Medici.

Every man in this chamber owes Cosimo something.

He has bailed out guilds he has sponsored merchants

he has helped nobles

including Rinaldo Albizzi's own father, settle their debts.

- By thievery! - No!

No, by fair and honest trades!

You think noble blood entitles you to rule the world.

Not any more.

Florence cannot go back into the past

where nobles ruled and peasants bowed.

This republic is building itself to greatness.

Not on the finery of its aristocrats.

But on the talents of its people!

Cosimo's life has been dedicated to this city.

And now you must save them both!

How can you talk of saving Florence

when Lorenzo threatens to burn it down?

The army will go if Cosimo is freed.

I have Sforza's word.

Sforza is a mercenary. His word is worthless.

Cosimo de' Medici was found guilty by this court

his sentence will be carried out!

Guards, prepare the prisoner for execution.

No!

No!

Let me take him out of the city!

We will go into exile!

Guards!

- Halt! - Exile?

All trickery! She thinks we're fools!

That army could sack the city.

And it will be your fault, Rinaldo!

This city will be destroyed!

Exile may not be what you want, Rinaldo.

But it does mean we get to live.

Accept.

No.

Then I will put it to the vote.

Can you stand?

We must go now.

- Prepare for our departure. - Departure?

You were sentenced to death. But I persuaded them to commute it.

You are exiled.

Exiled?

What have you done?

I saved your life.

I was ready to die.

I couldn't lose you.

How could you put your own needs before the good of my family?

If we have lost Florence, the Medici are ruined!

When you arrive in Venice, call on Elisa Morosini.

She's an old friend of my family.

She'll introduce you to society.

Can you really not come with us?

Someone must stay here to look after our affairs.

My own father was exiled.

I know the pain of being cast out.

Piero and I could stay.

And manage the household here.

Piero could run the bank.

God knows he needs to be given more responsibility.

Monna.

Your husband calls for you.

I've left instructions for the bank staff.

There are some notes here for you.

If anything is unclear, send word to Ugo.

I know you are angry.

But if we leave it broken like this between us

we will grow into the break.

Please, let me come with you and the family.

Please, my love.

How much did you have to pay Sforza in the end?

10000 but he wasn't very happy.

Hopefully we'll keep him from coming to Venice.

Cosimo.

We're ready to go.

Are you sure that you have everything you need?

All I have left in the world.